Hampton Roads Sports Media Hall of Fame Ceremony Postponed

The Hampton Roads Sports Media Hall of Fame will have to postpone, or even cancel, its third induction ceremony, which was scheduled for May 9th at Langley Speedway in Hampton, VA.

"There are just no guarantees. Langley's (Speedway) not even open," said Greg Bicouvaris, who with Speedway promoter Chuck Hall, founded the organization in July 2017.

The Hall, which inducts five members each year, had announced the 2020 class last November - a list which included Calvin Jacox, Harry Minium, Wayne Nooe, David Teel, and Debbie White. But for now, the future of the ceremony remains in limbo.

"Whether we have a ceremony or not is up in the air. Chuck and Langley will have to follow what the Governor says," added Bicouvaris, known for his work as a veteran local sportscaster, and network television stage manager. "The good thing is that we had already announced the class, but we may end up having to mail their plaques to them."

More information about the history and inductees of the Hall can be found on its website at hrsmhof.com.

(Archives) Menchville's Perry Brothers Reunite at Penn Relays to Honor Mom

(In honor of this being Penn Relays week, I decided to go back to the archives for an older story that combined Peninsula athletics with the Relays. Somewhere in between is my favorite article to write - about the Perry brothers, all track stars at Menchville High in Newport News. Their mother Mary was ailing and four of them got together in her honor as the "Sons of Mary" to run one last relay. This ran in the Town Square sports section of the Daily Press back in 2012, and I thank Lynn Burke for allowing me to write so many great local sports stories. These assignments served as my lead-in to eventually writing the weekly Community Sports Notebook for two years. Mother Mary passed away a couple of weeks after this article was published, which added extra meaning for me, 

BY JIM McGRATH

Within the confines of the Newport News track and Menchville athletic halls of fame, the Perry brothers have built their own wing. From the mid-1970s to the early 1980s, the brothers dominated local and state high school track and helped the Monarchs, under coach Steve Lewis, to three consecutive state titles from 1979-1981.

Each brother had his own niche.

Clifton owned the middle distances, winning a state title in record time in the 880 in 1975, followed by a high school national record in the 600-yard run the following year, a record which still stands. James was a half-miler who competed on Menchville's school record 4x880 yard relay. He also ran cross-country.

Eric was a three-time high and intermediate hurdles state champion who earned All-American status. Ray was also a state champion in the 330-yard intermediate hurdles. In all, the Perry brothers built their legacy on excellence.

It was a trait inherited from their mother Mary. Last November, the family gathered for Mary Perry's 80th birthday celebration. On that day, all of the Perry brothers celebrated their mother to the tune of the Intruders "I'll Always Love My Mama," while each brother (nine, in all) presented a single gold rose to their matriarch. It was a special day for Mary Perry and her 14 children.

Just weeks later and three days after Christmas, she complained of stomach pain and was taken to the emergency room. The doctors' initial prognosis was confirmed and in early January of this year, she was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer.

Now in hospice care, the brothers said they all realized that their mother doesn't have much time left. Still, her spirit continues to inspire them.

"She is such a fighter," Eric Perry says. "Her spirit is so strong as is her passion for love and passion for life."

Now a detention officer in Texas, Eric shared one of the stories which best describes his mother's passion.

"My mother has a favorite window at the home. Every day, there's a squirrel that comes up to her window as if he knows she is going to be there. Mom even gave the squirrel a name… 'Runner.' We like to say that the squirrel is sending nature to her window every day."

Now in their 50's, five of the brothers (Mike was added as an alternate runner) decided to bond and compete one more time in honor of their mother. So they turned back to their track background.

Thinking of the prestigious Penn Relays meet in Philadelphia, they signed on to run as a 1,600-meter relay. Under the moniker "Sons of Mary," the brothers entered the 50-and-older Masters race. Uniforms were designed and pictures were taken to commemorate the event.

Last Saturday, the brothers took to the track at Franklin Field, to relive their past glory in front of the 42,000 fans who commonly attend the last three days of the meet. Ray led off, followed by Eric, James and finally Clifton with the anchor leg. Their time of 4:15.13 was good enough for a ninth-place finish of 22 teams.

"We wanted," Eric said, "to have an opportunity, before the Lord calls her over, for our mother to see her sons together, focusing on one cause … one more lap."

Gunderson Tapped to Head CNU Women's Soccer

CNU women's soccer
coach Jamie Gunderson

Hot off the presses from Christopher Newport University, the Captains have found their new women's soccer coach. In fact, he was already there, as athletic director Kyle McMullin took the interim tag off Jamie Gunderson, and made him the full-time coach.

According to their press release, Gunderson, has been with the Captains since the fall of 2012, and previously served as an assistant coach under Dan Weiler for seven seasons before stepping into the interim position earlier this year.

"I am extremely pleased that during a time of great uncertainty, we are able to move forward with someone who will bring steady leadership and exceptional ability as our Head Women's Soccer Coach," said McMullin. "Jamie's presence has been key to the success of our women's soccer team for the past seven years and his ability to lead our students has become evident over the past month. Jamie will excel as our Head Coach."

Prior to taking the reins as the top assistant coach in 2014, Gunderson also served under head coach Ruth Keegan as a volunteer assistant coach in 2012 and started his tenure with then head coach Dan Weiler in 2013. Gunderson was elevated to the full-time position in the Spring of 2014 after helping guide CNU to 12- and 14-win seasons in his first two years on the sideline. He has helped lead the Captains to six straight regular-season conference titles and five NCAA Tournament berths in his tenure under Weiler. In a three-year stretch between 2016-18, the Captains set and re-set the program record for wins in a season while capturing the program's first three Capital Athletic Conference Tournament Championships.

In 2018, Gunderson was a part of the coaching staff that led Christopher Newport to the NCAA Division III National Semifinals and wrapped up the season with a 21-2-0 overall record. For his efforts, he was honored as part of the United Soccer Coaches Atlantic South Region Coaching Staff of the Year.

In addition to his time with the Captains, Gunderson has spent four years coaching with the Virginia Legacy Soccer Club. He also excelled as an athlete both collegiately and in the professional ranks.

A four-year starter for Methodist, Gunderson starred on the field and also represented the Monarchs on the USA South All-Sportsmanship team. Following his collegiate career, he competed professionally as a member of the Norfolk Sharx in the Major Indoor Soccer League. He also played with the Lionsbridge FC team in the PDL in each of the past two summers. the Captains set and re-set the program record for wins in a season while capturing the program's first three Capital Athletic Conference Tournament Championships.

In a statement, Gunderson wrote, "I could not be more honored and grateful for this opportunity. I would like to thank President Paul Trible, Vice President Bill Brauer, Director of Athletics Kyle McMullin, along with Carrie Gardner, Matt Kelchner, and the entire search committee. Also, I would like to send a special thank you to Dan Weiler for helping me start my journey at CNU. Dan's passion and drive to run a successful program has helped develop me into the coach I am today. I am looking forward to continuing the growth and traditions of the CNU Women's soccer program."

Lionsbridge FC Soccer Season to be Delayed

The United Soccer League, keeping in line with other school and professional sports has announced that its season will also be delayed to an unknown date.

At the local level, that means the Lionsbridge FC squad, based on the Virginia Peninsula, will have to wait a while longer to begin their 2020 season.

In a statement, the USL sai, "in close collaboration with the USL League Two Executive Committee, the start of the 2020 League Two season will be delayed in order to align with recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on restricting public gatherings of 50 or more people through Sunday, May 10.

In Virginia, that number for public gatherings has been lowered to 10. The Lionsbridge team plays in the South Atlantic Division of the Southern Conference, and are now scheduled to open the season on May 9 in an away match against the Wake FC.

Lionsbridge, who plays its home game at CNU's TowneBank Stadium, finished the 2019 season just outside of playoff contention with a fifth-place standing and a record of 5-6-3. Since their inception in 2017, the team has built a solid fanbase and helped revive the local soccer scene.